Firetrucks swarm Cologne Cathedral after smell of smoke

The Cologne fire service was mobilized on Wednesday afternoon after a churchwarden reported noticing the smell of fire inside the Cologne Cathedral, a spokesperson for the fire service told public broadcaster WDR.

The fire department mobilized all its resources, and firetrucks were on the premises of the twin-spired cathedral for about two hours.

About 70 firefighters were called in to make sure that there wasn't a blaze or danger to the cathedral.

But the major operation was called off after no threat was detected. The church remains closed, but the public square outside the church remains open to tourists.

Cologne Cathedral a major tourist attraction

The cathedral, located in the western city of Cologne, is a major tourist landmark in Germany.

The iconic spires of the cathedral rise unmistakably against the skyline of the city but maintaining the church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has come at a cost. 

The church introduced a plan earlier this year to charge visitors in the second half of the year to keep up with maintenance and security costs, but that plan has sparked public outcry.

The church attracts about six million visitors every year and is the tallest twin-spired church in the world.

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru